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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, delivering a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors highlighted why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were contained all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker thought his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno parried a Keane header and the captain fired home the rebound. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed past Leno. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save late on.